With 3 sides contiguous to the sea, Ca Mau province has a large fishing ground and large seafood reserves, variety in species. In addition to the valuable and great production species such as shrimp, squid, crab, red snapper, Pomadasyskaakan, codfish, pomfret, grouper, cobia, and ect. Ca Mau’s territorial water also has a large reserve of shorthead hairfin anchovy. This is also one of the specialties of Ca Mau Cape.
 

Ca Mau Cape fishermen put out to the sea to “hunt” shorthead hairfin anchovy.

 
Shorthead hairfin anchovy has the scientific name Setipinnataty, the same family with anchovy (Engraulidae) which is 12 to 20 centimeters long. Its body is in flat lozenge shape with small head, short and protruding muzzle. The upper jaw bone is short with small eyes.  It has two jaws and palate with small teeth. On the first lower half of the bow, there are 17 to 20 spikes. The body is covered with round scales which easily fall. The caudal fin splits into two parts, the back is silver, the whole body is light yellow.
 

The “hunting” season of shorthead hairfin anchovy in Ca Mau starts from the beginning of October to the end of the March of Lunar calendar every year. Photo: Huynh Lam.

 
The “hunting” season of shorthead hairfin anchovy in Ca Mau starts from the beginning of October to the end of the March of Lunar calendar every year. In the spring season, fishermen at the estuaries of Ca Mau Cape hurriedly head for the sea to exploit and catch.
 

Yellow field with dried shorthead hairfin anchovy.

 
Shorthead hairfin anchovy has a habit of hunting for food on the water surface at night and diving into deep water when the sun rises. Grasping this rule, Ca Mau Cape fishermen catch fish in two ways: using net 1 and net 2 in the daytime, using high pressure light system combined with rake nets to chase fish flock at night.
 

Women in Ca Mau Cape classify shorthead hairfin anchovy after catching.

The process of catching shorthead hairfin anchovy continuously happen sat night until the sun comes out. In order to get a tank full of fish, the Ca Mau Cape fishermen have to stay up all night and face the great wind and waves of the sea. After a day and night of bumper, they catch hundreds of kilograms, even tons of shorthead hairfin anchovy.
 

Dried marinated boneless shorthead hairfin anchovy specialty.

 
Currently, there are many businesses purchasing and processing shorthead hairfin anchovy in Ca Mau Cape. Fresh shorthead hairfin anchovy are bought on-the-spot by traders, it varies from 15,000 to 20,000 thousand dongs per kilogram. Shorthead hairfin anchovy are made into fish sauce, chopped fish, salty and dried marinatedwhich areso delicious.  
      

Dried shorthead hairfin anchovy - Ca Mau Cape‘s specialty. Photo: Huynh Lam.

Since the numerous appearance of shorthead hairfin anchovy at Ca Mau fishing grounds, hundreds of Ca Mau Cape’s fishermen have purchased boats, fishing gear to catch fish. This job brings about good income, a stable life for fishermen there.
SN